Frames for spectacles

ABSTRACT

In a spectacles frame of the kind comprising a face and sidepieces each connected to the face by a hinge having first and second hinge knuckles connected together by a hinge pin, the first hinge knuckle being secured to a first one of the two parts consisting of the frame and a side-piece and the second hinge knuckle being secured to the second of the two parts, in which the first hinge knuckle is provided with two facets disposed parallel to the axis of the hinge pin, a resilient strip is secured to the second part and has a free end bearing against one or other of the two facets of the first hinge knuckle depending on the relative angular orientation of the first and second parts about the hinge pin, and the pivoting movement of the side-piece away from the face of the frame about the hinge pin is limited by the resilient strip being pushed by the first hinge knuckle into engagement with the second hinge knuckle.

United States Patent 1 Maillet 1 1 FRAMES FOR SPECTACLES [76] Inventor: Rene Louis Maillet, 1 rue Saint Nicolas, Redon, France 22 Filed: July 30,1973

21 App]. No; 383,543

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 2, 1972 France 72.27844 [52] US. Cl. 351/113; 16/128 A; 351/121; 351/153 [51] Int. Cl. G02c 5/16; GO2c 5/22 [58] Field of Search ..351/l13, 114,121,153; 16/128 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,026,723 l/1936 Wollensak 351/113 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 859,931 l/l96l United Kingdom 351/113 352,164 3/1961 Switzerland 351/113 Aug. 19, 1975 Primary Examiner-Paul A. Sacher Attorney, Agent, or FirmKarl W. Flocks [57] ABSTRACT In a spectacles frame of the kind comprising a face and side-pieces each connected to the face by a hinge having first and second hinge knuckles connected together by a hinge pin, the first hinge knuckle being secured to a first one of the two parts consisting of the frame and a side-piece and the second hinge knuckle being secured to the second of the two parts, in which the first hinge knuckle is provided with two facets disposed parallel to the axis of the hinge pin, a resilient strip is secured to the second part and has a free end bearing against one or other of the two facets of the first hinge knuckle depending on the relative angular orientation of the first and second parts about the hinge pin, and the pivoting movement of the sidepiece away from the face of the frame about the hinge pin is limited by the resilient strip being pushed by the first hinge knuckle into engagement with the second hinge knuckle.

13 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEB AUG! 9 I975 swan 1 o 2 FRAMES FOR SPECTACLES The present invention relates to a spectacles frame with hinged side-pieces, the frame being of the kind in which, when the side-pieces are normally spaced apart, it is still possible to space them further apart through a small supplementary angle in opposition to a resilient force, without damaging the side-pieces or the face of the frame.

Frames of this kind are already known. They enable the users to handle their spectacles without taking great precautions, both when putting them on and when removing them, without risk of breaking the frame. Apart from the embodiments of such frames having flexible side-pieces, which have the disadvantage of not ensuring a good maintenance of the spectacles on the face, the known embodiments of this kind are complex and expensive. Generally they involve the use of hilical springs housed in cavities in the side-pieces or the face of the frame.

There is also known an embodiment in which the hinge knuckle on the side-piece is carried by a resilient strip which, when at rest, is parallel to the side-piece and fixed to the latter by its end which is turned towards the free end of the side-piece. In such a frame, the resilient strip is so strongly influenced in the region of the fixing of the hinge knuckle that during use it becomes deforrned or breaks.

The present invention aims to provide a spectacles frame in which the hinged, and preferably rigid, sidepieces are capable of being forced apart in opposition to resilient forces, which overcomes these various disadvantages and has, in addition, a complementary advantage, namely the resilient return of the sidepieces folded against the face of the frame.

According to the invention, a spectacles frame comprising a face and side-pieces each connected to the face by a hinge having first and second hinge knuckles connected together by a hinge pin, said first hinge knuckle being secured to one of the two parts consisting of the frame and a side-piece and said second hinge knuckle being secured to the other of said two parts, is characterised in that a. said first hinge knuckle is provided with two facets disposed parallel to the axis of said hinge pin,

b. a resilient strip is secured to said other part and has a free end bearing against one or other of the two facets of said first hinge knuckle depending on the relative angular orientation of said two parts about said hinge pin, and

c. the pivoting movement of said side-piece away from the face of the frame about said hinge pin is limited by said strip being pushed by said first hinge knuckle into engagement with said second hinge knuckle.

Preferably, the first hinge knuckle is fixed to the face of the frame and the second hinge knuckle (with the strip) is carried by the side-piece.

Thus, in any case, the strip at rest, applied in turn on each of the facets, imposes on the side-piece a fixed position relative to the face, either open or folded, and, by its resilience, allows, on the one hand, an additional resilient spacing apart of the side-pieces, and on the other hand, a resilient return of the side-pieces against the face in the folded state of the side-pieces.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a plan ofa spectacles frame according to the invention in which the face of the frame carries the facetted hinge knuckle,

FIG. 2 is a section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line IIII of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line IIIIII of FIG.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views similar to FIG. 3, showing, respectively, a side-piece of a pair of spectacles forced open and folded,

FIG. 6 is a partial elevation of a modified embodiment of a side-piece of a spectacles frame according to the invention,

FIG. 7 is a section taken on the line VIIVII of FIG. 6, and

FIGS. 8 and 9 are sections taken on the lines VIII- VIII and IXIX, respectively, of FIG. 7.

The spectacles frame shown in FIG. 1 has, in the usual manner, a face 1 and two practically rigid sidepieees 2, shown in full lines in their normally spacedapart position.

Due to the hinge arrangement 3 described hereinafter, the side-pieces 2 may be respectively spaced to the positions 20 in opposition to resilient return forces, which enables the user to place in position or remove his spectacles without risk of breaking them. In addition, when folding the side-pieces, each of them is returned against the face 1, as indicated by the arrow 11 for the right-hand side-piece as seen in FIG. 1, when this side-piece is folded in order to reach the position 211.

Each hinge 3 comprises a hinge knuckle 4 fixed to the face 1 and, fixed to the side-piece 2, a hinge knuckle 5 in the form of an inwardly turned fork embracing the hinge knuckle 4 both knuckles being connected by the hinge pin 3a. The hinge knuckle 4 comprises an axial cylindrical stud 6 fixed adhesively in a blind boring at the rear of the face 1 which is assumed here to be of plastics material. Such a relatively large diameter stud is intended to ensure a robust fixing of the hinge knuckle 4 which, at the time of maximum opening of the side-pieces or their closing, undergoes much greater forces than those to which normal hinge knuckles are subjected. In the embodiment shown, the fixing is also reinforced in the region of the rear surface of theface 1 by a bearing collar 7 on the stud 6.

Of course, if the face I is made of metal, the fixing of the hinge knuckle 4 is effected differently, for example by a screw-threaded connection, welding or fitting The hinge knuckle 4 has, on its side facing away from the face 1, a plane facet 8 and it also has a lateral plane .facet 9. These two facets are joined by a partcylindrical rounded portion 10 coaxial with the axis of the hinge 3 by hinge pin 3a.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the forked hinge knuckle 5 is fixed to the end of a metallic strengthening member 12 for the side-piece of the spectacles. This strengthening member, together with a support tab 13 for the prongs of the knuckle plate, is sunk into the material constituting the sidepiece.

A resilient strip 15 is fixed to the internal surface of the side-piece 2, in this case by screws 14 engaged in the strengthening member 12. The free end of this strip, which is in contact with the hinge knuckle 4, is opposite a cavity 16 in the side-piece for the tab 13. Advantageously, the end 15a is strengthened, for example by a slight thickening, as shown, or by heat treatment.

In the position shown in FIG. 3, in which the sidepiece is in its normally open position, the strip 15 bears against the facet 9, to maintain the side-piece resiliently in this position. If the side-piece is forced outwardly to the position shown in FIG. 4, the strip 15 is deformed by penetrating into the cavity 16 and by sliding against the facet 9. The limit of this additional outward movement of the side-piece is reached when the strip 15 meets the bottom of the cavity 16. Since there is a reduction in the distance between the face end of the strip 15 and the limiting point 26 where the strip bears on the side-piece 2, the force necessary to make the strip bend is sufficiently large. Since, however, the strip is fixed to the side-piece by screws 14 disposed on the side of the limiting point 26 lying remote from the hinge, the bending of the strip is distributed between the screw 14 situated nearest to the hinge and the end of the blade (see FIG. 4). Moreover, the strengthening of the strip at its end prevents its deformation under the pressure of the hinge knuckle.

It is therefore possible to space apart the side-pieces 2 a distance greater than the width of the face 1 of the frame, but, owing to the resilience of the strip 15, the side-pieces are returned to the position shown in full lines in FIG. 1.

When the side-piece is reclosed, the rounded portion also forces the strip towards the recess 16, after which the strip comes to bear against the facet 8, so regaining its position of rest. In this way, after the start of the closing movement, the side-piece is returned by the action of the strip 15 towards the position shown in FIG. 5.

In the case of rigid metallic sidepieces, the cavity 16 may be formed directly in these side-pieces. The hinge knuckle 5 and the strip may also be fixed in the material of the sidepiece.

In the case of side-pieces of plastics material, the part of the hinge carried by the side-piece may be constructed as shown in FIGS 6 to 9. In this construction, the two prongs 20 are fixed to an elongate plate 21 which has, on one side, a cavity 22 and a slot with a rounded end for the reception of the fixed end of the blade 15. On its other side, the plate 21 has two hooked tabs 24 engaging the outwardly-facing surface of the plastics material of the side-piece 2 surrounding the plate 21, so as to reinforce the assembly. Finally, the plate 21 is extended by a tail 25 which is embedded in the material of the sidepiece. Such an assembly may be incorporated in the side-piece during moulding of the latter, or fitted into the side-piece after formation of corresponding hollows in the material of the side-piece or, finally, it may be heated and embedded in the plastics material constituting the side-piece.

As mentioned above, the facetted hinge knuckle 4 may be carried by the side-piece and the forked hinge knuckle 5 with the strip 15 may be mounted on the face 1. Except for this exchange the frame may be similar to that illustrated in the drawings. However, the facetted hinge knuckle may, alternately, be mounted in the end of the side-piece 2 instead of being fixed close to the end of its inwardly facing surface.

Moreover, the strip 15 may then have a generally Y- shaped form the branches of which are fixed on both sides of the temporal lug, to the circular part of the face of the frame.

The invention is applicable to all spectacle frames with practically rigid side-pieces, which are intended either for opthalmic correction or protective purposes.

What is claimed is:

1. A spectacles frame comprising a face side pieces each connected to said face,

first hinge knuckles on said face and second hinge knuckles on said side pieces,

said first hinge knuckles on said face each being a facet carrying block and said second hinge knuckles on said side pieces each being a forked member having at least two prongs joined by a bridging portion,

a hinge pin connecting each second hinge knuckle forked member to a first hinge knuckle facet carrying block,

said first hinge knuckle having two facets disposed parallel to the axis of said hinge pin,

a resilient strip secured to each of said side pieces and having a free end bearing against one or the other of said two facets of said first hinge knuckle depending upon the relative angular orientation of said face and said side piece about said hinge pin,

said free end of said resilient strip engaged between one of said facets of said first hinge knuckle and said bridging portion 'of said second hinge knuckle to limit pivoting movement of each of said side pieces away from said face.

2. A spectacles frame according to claim 1, in which the free end of said resilient strip is disposed between two prongs of said second hinge knuckle.

3. A spectacles frame according to claim 1, in which said second hinge knuckle is mounted in a cavity formed in an end of said side-piece, and said resilient strip is secured to said side-piece and has its free end overlying said cavity.

4. A spectacles frame according to claim 1, in which the face of said frame is made of plastics material and said first hinge knuckle comprises a stud embedded in said face.

5. A spectacles frame according to claim 4, in which said stud comprises a collar bearing against said face.

6. A spectacles frame according to claim 1, in which said side-piece is made of plastics material with a metallic reinforcing member therein, said second hinge knuckle being secured to said reinforcing member.

7. A spectacles frame according to claim 3, in which said resilient strip is secured to said side-piece by being embedded in the material of said side-piece.

8. A spectacles frame according to claim 2, in which said second hinge knuckle is fixed to a plate elongated in the direction of said side-piece, which plate has a groove for receiving said strip and a cavity over which the free end of said strip extends.

9. A spectacles frame according to claim 8, in which said plate has, on its side opposite said groove, at least one hooking tab engaging a surface of said side-piece. 10. A spectacles frame according to claim 8, in which said plate is prolonged by a tail embedded in said sidepiece. v

1 l. A spectacles frame according to claim 1, in which said two facets of said first hinge knuckle are plane sur- 6 faces disposed substantially at right angles to one ancharacterized by other. said resilient strip being secured along each said side 12. A spectacles frame according to claim 11, in piece at a distance from its point of operative bearwhich said two facets are joined by a part-cylindrical ing against said side piece whereby the yielding of surface having its axis parallel to the axis of said hinge 5 said resilient strip is distributed along a length of pin. said strip.

13. A spectacles frame according to claim 1, further 

1. A spectacles frame comprising a face side pieces each connected to said face, first hinge knuckles on said face and second hinge knuckles on said side pieces, said first hinge knuckles on said face each being a facet carrying block and said second hinge knuckles on said side pieces each being a forked member having at least two prongs joined by a bridging portion, a hinge pin connecting each second hinge knuckle forked member to a first hinge knuckle facet carrying block, said first hinge knuckle having two facets disposed parallel to the axis of said hinge pin, a resilient strip secured to each of said side pieces and having a free end bearing against one or the other of said two facets of said first hinge knuckle depending upon the relative angular orientation of said face and said side piece about said hinge pin, said free end of said resilient strip engaged between one of said facets of said first hinge knuckle and said bridging portion of said second hinge knuckle to limit pivoting movement of each of said side pieces away from said face.
 2. A spectacles frame according to claim 1, in which the free end of said resilient strip is disposed between two prongs of said second hinge knuckle.
 3. A spectacles frame according to claim 1, in which said second hinge knuckle is mounted in a cavity formed in an end of said side-piece, and said resilient strip is secured to said side-piece and has its free end overlying said cavity.
 4. A spectacles frame according to claim 1, in which the face of said frame is made of plastics material and said first hinge knuckle comprises a stud embedded in said face.
 5. A spectacles frame according to claim 4, in which said stud comprises a collar bearing against said face.
 6. A spectacles frame according to claim 1, in which said side-piece is made of plastics material with a metallic reinforcing member therein, said second hinge knuckle being secured to said reinforcing member.
 7. A spectacles frame according to claim 3, in which said resilient strip is secured to said side-piece by being embedded in the material of said side-piece.
 8. A spectacles frame according to claim 2, in which said second hinge knuckle is fixed to a plate elongated in the direction of said side-piece, which plate has a groove for receiving said strip and a cavity over which the free end of said strip extends.
 9. A spectacles frame according to claim 8, in which said plate has, on its side opposite said groove, at least one hooking tab engaging a surface of said side-piece.
 10. A spectacles frame according to claim 8, in which said plate is prolonged by a tail embedded in said side-piece.
 11. A spectacles frame according to claim 1, in which said two facets of said first hinge knuckle are plane surfaces disposed substantially at right angles to one another.
 12. A spectacles frame according to claim 11, in which said two facets are joined by a part-cylindrical surface having its axis parallel to the axis of said hinge pin.
 13. A spectacles frame according to claim 1, further characterized by said resilient strip being secured along each said side piece at a distance from its point of operative bearing against said side piece whereby the yielding of said resilient strip is distributed along a length of said strip. 